


fooled around and fell in love

by finalfrontierpioneer



Category: DCU (Comics), Green Lantern - All Media Types, The Flash - All Media Types
Genre: Endearments, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Friends to Lovers, Halbarry Week 2020, M/M, Minor Injuries, Pet Names, Sort Of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-08-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:20:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26076319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/finalfrontierpioneer/pseuds/finalfrontierpioneer
Summary: The first time is an accident. The other times after that? Not at all accidental.Or: Hal starts calling Barry pet names and finds that he doesn't actually want to stop.Or: Instead of revealing Barry's civilian identity to Batman and Superman, Hal calls him "babe." And then proceeds to call him a lot of other things.
Relationships: Barry Allen/Hal Jordan
Comments: 35
Kudos: 204
Collections: Halbarry Week 2020





	fooled around and fell in love

**Author's Note:**

> So I actually started this fic forever ago, as part of the 100 fandoms challenge, and then i just never finished it. But then i saw that this week was Halbarry week on tumblr, and i saw the prompt for day 3, and it totally fit this fic perfectly! Buuut i didn't manage to finish this fic in time for that, so i figured i'd post it today since it's a freebie!
> 
> Most of my inspiration came from the specific panel of the comic (included down below) and also the Justice League: War movie!
> 
> So this is my contribution for Day 3: First Times "And you just called me Barry, genius" and also prompt 029. Mask for the 100 fandoms challenge

Honestly, Hal thinks he and Barry should just handle this on their own. They don’t need this asshole “Batman” guy or Superman, no matter how strong he is. 

He tells Barry just as much, and he doesn’t see him arguing. Of course, that could be because Barry’s still got his eyes trained on the alien device enclosed in a green bubble of Hal’s will.

Hal’s had enough of the other two heroes. “Hey, look, Flash and I were just about to-”

“I could take it in for analysis and see if I can find any fingerprints or traces of D.N.A. Maybe someone else came into contact with it,” Barry interrupts him.

Hal sighs internally.

“You sound like a cop,” Batman says. 

“I am. I work in the crime lab,” Barry says thoughtlessly.

“You’re exposing your identity, Ba-” Hal gets halfway through his name before Barry’s shooting him a fierce glare, “-aaaabe,” he chokes out.

Barry freezes and stares. In fact, everyone freezes and stares at Hal.

“Babe?” Superman questions.

Barry flushes red. He nearly matches his suit. Hal’s pretty sure his own face is about the same, if the way it’s burning is any indication.

But something about that blush on Barry’s face is...appealing. Pretty, even.

“We don’t have time for this,” Batman growls. God, what a fucking asshole.

As if on cue, the mystery device explodes. 

Hal instinctively reinforces the green sphere of his will keeping them from being vaporized. 

When the winged aliens start coming through the portal, well, he throws himself into the action and forgets all about almost revealing Barry’s civilian identity. 

\----

The dust has barely settled when apparently, they’re forming a team? Things are happening so quickly. 

He doesn’t know the other heroes on stage with him, but honestly, he doesn’t care. His arm’s still fucked; the glowing cast construct isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

“These Super Friends use their super powers to protect us…” the president announces, like he knows what he’s talking about. Like they’re some organized group.

“We are not friends, and we are certainly not a team,” he mutters under his breath while the president drones on in front of them.

Barry elbows him in his uninjured side, “I disagree.”

Hal smirks, “Well, sure,  _ babe _ ,  _ we  _ can be a team if you want.”

Barry rolls his eyes, but can’t suppress the blush that floods his cheeks, “No, I mean, I liked being a part of something.”

“You  _ would _ ,” Hal says childishly, for lack of a better comeback.

Batman glares at them.

Hal ignores him. “This was a one time deal, you hear? I’ve got a whole universe to look after, I can’t be joining up with this dumbass ‘Super Friends’ thing.”

“Come on, we can do it together,” Barry offers, blue eyes bright and beguiling.

And Hal’s tempted, but- Batman clears his throat pointedly- okay, no way can Hal work with that guy. “No way,” he says firmly.

“Mmhmm, sure. I hear you loud and clear, GL,” Barry says breezily.

Barry can just shut up, because there is  _ no way  _ Hal is getting roped into this. No way, no how. 

\---- 

So Hal gets roped into it. At least they’re not called the Super Friends, but still. The Justice League? So pretentious. 

The worst part, though, is that Hal doesn’t even mind. Not when it means he has a convenient excuse to see Barry whenever he’s planetside. 

Truth is, Hal doesn’t have many friends. Sure, he has Carol, but that’s a whole different can of worms. Can an ex really still be your friend? He’s not sure he and Carol have mastered it. It’s more like a tense employer/employee relationship. 

He has his coworkers at the air field, and his brothers, but they don’t get it. They certainly don’t know he’s a Green Lantern. Hanging out with them just feels shallow when he can’t share the actual details of his life.

So he just doesn’t talk about it. 

Until he goes out for burgers with Barry after a grueling earthquake cleanup (Barry’s treat).

“So is this our first date?” Hal jokes before taking the biggest bite physically possible. 

“No, that would be when you insinuated I was a creep in the park,” Barry deadpans.

“Aw, don’t be like that baby.”

Barry can’t hold back a surprised bark of laughter. Hal grins at the sound.

Hal watches Barry wolf down another burger in fond silence. “You know, if this  _ was  _ a date, I think it’d be the first date I’ve been on in, like…” he has to think, “almost a year.”

Barry chokes, “You?! Haven’t been on a date in a year?”

“I just kinda didn’t really see the point in dating after the way things ended with my ex.” 

“Oh,” Barry turns thoughtful, “I guess things didn’t end well?”

Hal shrugs, taking a gulp of his soda. “I mean, we’re on okay terms now, but Carol didn’t have great things to say about me when we broke up and I can’t even blame her. She was totally right about me.” 

Barry furrows his brow and puts his burger down entirely, “What did she say?”

It’s embarrassing to admit. “Basic gist- I have commitment issues and I’m unreliable.” He can’t even look Barry in the eye as he says it. So much for being fearless.

“Hal,” Barry reaches out and touches the back of his hand. He looks up to meet Barry’s earnest gaze. “She was  _ not  _ right about you.”

Hal just raises a dubious eyebrow.

“Okay, so  _ maybe  _ I’ve never dated you,” Hal watches Barry’s Adam’s apple bob with fascination, “but come on. You’re a Green Lantern- that’s like, a  _ huge  _ commitment.”

“That’s different though,” Hal interrupts.

Barry waves him off, “And unreliable? You?” He scoffs.

Both of Hal’s eyebrows shoot toward his hairline now. He’s simultaneously irritated at being ignored and ridiculously pleased to be complimented.

“You’re the person I trust most in the league. Who do you think keeps requesting that we get paired for missions?” Barry drops right in his lap, as if it’s not a huge bombshell.

“Wait, what?” Hal drops his burger back on the tray. Ketchup splashes onto the sleeve of his jacket, but he couldn’t care less. “You actually requested me as a partner?”

There’s that pretty blush Hal loves so much. “Well, yeah. Why did you think you were always working with me?”

Honestly, Hal hasn’t really thought about it. “I kinda assumed Spooky thought we were a couple. I mean, I did call you babe.”

Barry lets out an almost hysterical giggle. “I think if he thought we were a couple, he would refuse to pair us together just to spite you.”

Yeah, that’s probably true. 

\----

No matter what Barry says, Hal’s still not sure he thinks of himself as the reliable sort. But something about the blond speedster makes him want to be the guy Barry thinks he is. 

And it’s not even like he has to try, really. It’s just...easy when it comes to Barry.

Hal does his best not to dwell on why.

Fortunately, in the heat of battle, it’s easy to be distracted. 

He takes out a group of low level street thugs with a bright green freight train, sending them flying and giving the Metropolis PD the opportunity to run in and cuff them. Hal gives them a cocky salute and flies off to see if he can spot his teammates. 

He knows the Flash is somewhere in the city, probably evacuating citizens, and Supes is duking it out with today’s big bad, Solomon Grundy.

Hal doesn’t deny it; he’d really rather it be him punching out Grundy’s lights. But after their first encounter, it’d been made clear the ring was not an effective weapon against the guy. Hal might be brash, but he’s not stupid. So Green Lantern’s sitting this one out.

It’s fine.

Hal finally spots both Blue and the Flash downtown. As he watches, Barry manages to deliver a stunning uppercut that knocks Grundy back through the window of a nearby highrise. Correction, through several windows. Damn, a punch from the Flash has  _ got  _ to hurt. What is that, like Mach 10?

Hal fist pumps, “Woo! You show him, Flash!”

Superman ignores him, but Barry turns, probably to scold him.

It’s a mistake. 

Grundy emerges from the wreckage, brandishing a gun that he immediately turns on the Flash.

Fuck, there’s no way Hal can get there in time.

Hal streaks through the air as fast as he can, but it’s not enough. The blast hits Barry square on the chest. 

He...disappears. What the fuck? 

Superman apprehends Grundy, or at least Hal assumes he does, as he’s too busy frantically searching the ground for where Barry could have been blasted to. God, did it...vaporize him? 

No. Absolutely not. Hal won’t even consider it.

There’s an odd popping noise high above him. Hal strains to see what it is, and abruptly realizes it’s Barry.

And he’s falling toward the ground at terminal velocity. 

Mother _ fuck _ er.

Hal throws himself toward the speedster, pulling together a construct at the last second. 

Barry slams into it hard, but Hal’s will holds strong. The giant green bed cushions his fall and hopefully prevents all injury.

Hal only takes a breath once Barry peeks up over the edge at him. “Well darlin’, I gotta say, this is not how I pictured getting you into bed,” he blurts, high on adrenaline and relief.

Barry blinks, mouth agape, apparently at a loss for words. To be fair, a lot has happened in the last few seconds.

Then he starts laughing hysterically, falling back onto the glowing green bed.

Hal’s  _ this  _ close to joining in when Superman clears his throat down below. “Excuse me, could I get a little help?” 

\----

Hal fights the urge to knock back his full glass of champagne. It’s probably expensive, not that Hal can tell. 

This woman, what’s her name? Betty? Patty? Will not stop flirting with Barry. Sure, they work together, and sure, Barry has never mentioned her before, but Hal knows exactly why she keeps grasping at his bicep and fluttering her eyelashes.

God, Hal had left for literally two seconds to grab a drink at the bar, and she’d swooped in immediately. Rude.

Barry hadn’t invited  _ her  _ to the annual Policeman’s Ball, he’d invited  _ Hal _ . 

With that thought, Hal gathers his courage and scoops another champagne flute off a passing waiter’s tray.

Barry spots him coming, and his grin is nearly blinding. Hal can’t help the dopey smile that immediately spreads across his own face in response. He speeds up the last couple of feet, and pushes himself right up into Barry’s personal space, handing him one of the flutes of champagne.

Patty, on the other hand, does not look so happy to see him. Hal smirks and presses himself up against Barry’s side.

“Hey honey, miss me?” Hal says as he wraps a possessive arm around Barry’s waist.

Barry chokes on the champagne. 

Hal grins and pats his back, “You okay, Bear?”

Barry cuts him a suspicious glare, but the red color of his face detracts from any of his real intent. Hal takes the opportunity to slide his palm down the curve of Barry’s back, settling into the small of back.

Barry doesn’t pull away; he just takes another sip (a gulp, really) of champagne.

Hal turns to the third member of their conversation and extends his free hand, “Hi, Hal Jordan, and you are?”

Patty musters a smile and reaches out to shake his hand, “Patty Spivot, I actually work in the crime lab with Barry here.” Hal neglects to mention that he actually knows all of this, having been eavesdropping with his ring from his place at the bar.

He has to hand it to her, the woman does look stunning in a floor length deep blue ballgown. 

Too bad Hal knows he looks even better in his suit.

“Funny, he’s never mentioned you.” Hal says with a mock frown of confusion. 

Barry elbows him roughly.

“Kidding!” Hal beams at her.

Patty looks a little dazed by his smile, or maybe his abrupt change in tone. 

Barry downs the rest of his champagne. 

“Well, would you look at that?” Hal starts steering Barry toward the bar, taking advantage of Patty’s distraction, “Let’s get you another drink.”

He quickly downs what’s left in his own flute, plonking it down on a passing waiter’s tray.

“Nice to meet you, Patsy!” he calls back over his shoulder with another wide smile.

Barry huffs next to him, but before he can scold him for his rudeness, Hal slides the hand on the small of his back down to his ass and gives it a firm squeeze.

Barry’s squeak is supersonic.

Hal winks back at a slack-jawed Patty. 

\----

Barry can’t stay mad at Hal for long, thank God. His little stunt at the Policeman’s Ball had really only cost him a couple lectures.

As long as he promises to respect Barry’s coworkers, Hal’s invited over for a movie night the next time he’s on-planet.

“Doritos or popcorn?” Hal calls from the kitchen. “Oh who am I kidding?” he mutters under his breath before Barry can even respond, grabbing both and heading into the living room. 

Barry grins when he tosses him the Doritos. “You know me too well.”

Hal snorts, plopping himself onto the sofa next to the speedster. “I just know you’re a bottomless pit.”

“Hey!” Barry squawks. “I have a superhuman metabolism!”

It really is pretty super, Hal thinks, glancing down at Barry’s muscular thighs. Frankly, he spends an embarrassing amount of time imagining what it might be like to be straddled by those beauties. 

So he doesn’t see the pillow coming (not that he would, given how fast Barry is) and it smacks him square in the face. 

Hal completely loses his grip on the bowl of popcorn and it goes flying. Thankfully, it doesn’t break, but popcorn kernels go  _ everywhere _ .

Once Hal blinks to clear his vision, he finds himself facedown on the floor (surrounded by kernels). 

“Oh  _ shit _ , I’m so sorry, that must have been harder than I meant to hit you; sometimes I don’t realize how fast I’m going,” Barry rambles above him, sounding just a hair sped up.

“ _ Jesus _ , you can pack a punch,” Hal wheezes. He blinks and there’s a hand in front of him to help him up.

Hal gratefully takes it.

And proceeds to yank Barry down onto the rug with him. 

“ _ Hal _ !” Barry yelps. Hal rolls right on top of him, trapping his wrists above his head in a tight grip. 

“Alright, you hungry hungry hippo,” Barry makes an offended noise at that, “have some popcorn.” Hal smirks evilly and scrapes up a handful of it from the ground. 

“Ew!” Barry twists his head away from Hal’s hand. Hal just activates his ring and secures Barry’s hands with bright green handcuffs, freeing his other hand to grip Barry’s jaw and pull it to face him.

“Where’s that superhuman metabolism now?” Hal’s starting to crack up, and he can tell Barry’s holding back laughter too. He nudges a piece to Barry’s lips.

Barry splutters and Hal shoves it into his mouth. 

Barry blinks up at him incredulously, popcorn lodged between his front teeth. And then spits it out, hitting Hal right in the eye.

“Ow!” He claps a hand over his eye. 

Barry bursts into laughter underneath him, and Hal finally gives into a fit of giggles. 

Once the laughter peters out, he realizes how compromising their position actually is.

Hal still has one hand curled around Barry’s jaw, and his light construct around Barry’s wrists hasn’t faded. (Not surprising. Hal’s known for his strength of will, and well...he can’t say his “will” doesn’t appreciate the view.)

It appears Barry realizes it too. He blushes the color of a fire engine. Up close, Hal can tell it spreads down his neck and under his shirt, but he wonders exactly how far down it goes.

And then Hal realizes something else.

Barry’s hard.

“ _ Oh _ ,” he breathes. 

Barry yanks up on the cuffs half-heartedly and turns to hide his face. “Kill me now,” he moans.

“Hey, no,” Hal grips Barry’s jaw tight once more and forces him to look him in the eye, “is it the...friction?” Brown eyes lock on blue. “Or is it me?”

There’s a moment of silence.

“It’s you,” Barry whispers.

That’s all the encouragement Hal needs. He surges forward, slamming their mouths together. 

Barry lets out a squeak before quickly getting with the program. Their mouths slide together effortlessly after an initial knocking of teeth. 

It’s magical.

At least, until Barry pulls away.

Shit. Hal’s so preoccupied by what he might have done wrong that he doesn’t realize Barry’s talking to him.

“...my wrists, Hal. Hal?”

Oh. Hal’s construct disappears instantly. He tries not to stare at Barry’s spit-slick lips and waits to see what Barry’s going to do. 

Barry immediately pulls him back down with his newly freed hands. Hal goes eagerly.

He bites down on Barry’s bottom lip. Barry gasps and Hal presses his advantage, licking into Barry’s mouth.

They both moan. The inside of Barry’s mouth is so hot and slick. Barry’s fingers work their way into Hal’s hair, and he finds himself rucking Barry’s shirt up to get at skin.

And oh god, what perfect skin it is. The skin of his abs is baby-soft and- wait- Hal hits a patch of gnarled skin.

Barry tenses up.

Hal pulls out of the kiss. “Hey, what’s the matter?”

Barry avoids his eyes, “It’s just, that’s from the accident. The one that gave me my powers.”

Oh. The lightning storm. Shit. Hal glances back down toward where his hand is still shoved up under Barry’s shirt.

He gently works the t-shirt up over Barry’s abs, all the way up to his chest. He glances up to make sure it’s alright and Barry just gives him a jerky nod. 

And then Hal just stares. “Barry,” he breathes. He reaches out hesitantly, once more waiting for Barry’s approval. When Barry nods again, Hal gently brushes his fingers up along the ropey scarring framing the sides of Barry’s chest.

Barry gasps and Hal yanks his hand back. “Did I hurt you?”

Barry quickly shakes his head, “No, it’s just-” he laughs self-deprecatingly, “Nobody’s seen me with my shirt off since it happened.”

Hal’s heart melts. He reels him in for a practically chaste kiss. “Well, doll, if you’ll let me, I personally would really like to see you with your shirt off right now and depending on how that goes, maybe a few times in the future, too.” He winks playfully.

It defuses the tension perfectly.

Barry laughs. “Do you also plan on calling me pet names the whole time?”

Hal pauses, momentarily serious. “Is it too much?” he asks sheepishly.

“No!” Barry blurts, blushing again. He hesitantly reaches out to wrap his palm around Hal’s neck. “I actually, um, really like it.”

Hal just stares at him for a second. How can Barry even be real? 

He abruptly pulls Barry up off the floor and pulls both his arms around his neck. “Good,” he grins. Then he slides his palms all the way down to Barry’s perfect ass. “Because I’ve got plans.”

“Oh?” Barry feigns nonchalance, even while Hal begins to yank up on the hem of his shirt. 

Hal’s grin turns wolfish. He leans in close and murmurs in Barry’s ear, “I am gonna  _ wreck _ you, baby.”

Barry barely has a chance to suck in a breath before Hal shoves him back onto the couch and devours him.

\----

When the Watchtower the League has commissioned is finally completed, Batman calls everyone in for a meeting. Hal’s only there because, well, Batman did pay for the whole thing.

Besides, Barry will be there, too.

Since that movie night a few weeks ago, there have been quite a few more “movie nights.” (Though they never actually end up watching a movie.) Hal’s never been so satisfied.

Even with Carol, he’d always been waiting for the other shoe to drop. Hal always knew they were never completely on the same page.

But Barry’s the Flash- he understands Hal’s responsibilities better than anyone. And he knew all of Hal’s secrets before they pushed their platonic relationship into not so platonic territory. (Not platonic  _ at all _ .) 

So yeah, Hal’s life is going pretty fucking great.

“Lantern!” Batman yells.

Hal jerks up straight in his chair, dropping his feet off the table. “Wha-?” 

Batman’s constant frown deepens even further, “Pay. Attention.”

Hal rolls his eyes toward Barry, right across the table from him. Barry just slides his palm over his mouth to hide his grin. 

Batman continues to drone on, forcing them to take a vote on new members. It’s all very boring. Not even the fact that one of the women wears fishnets as part of her costume can capture his attention. He has no strong opinions on the list of members; Hal’s just glad to induct even more supers to hopefully take Batman’s attention off of him. 

Something touches his toes.

Hal jumps, slamming his knee into the underside of the table.

The room goes silent. 

“Uh-” Hal catches Barry’s smirk across the table, that fucker, “sorry, foot fell asleep.”

He forces himself to relax, even while he stares Barry down. The Flash just bats those innocent baby blues at him as he brushes Hal’s ankle with his own foot.

Hal smothers a smirk of his own. Barry’s playing  _ footsie _ with him.

This is the best day ever. 

Barry’s foot creeps up his calf while Batman details the various pieces of equipment available in the med bay. 

God, it’s so boring, and Barry is taking his sweet time. It’s the cruelest, hottest thing Barry’s ever done. 

By the time his toes are nudging their way in between Hal’s spread thighs, he’s holding onto his sanity by a thread. When he tunes into the conversation in an attempt to distract himself from his boner, Batman is listing the room assignments. Because apparently they each have their own rooms up here! In space! 

Hal is trying to listen, but the moment Barry’s big toe touches his dick, he snaps. 

He grabs Barry’s ankle roughly and yanks hard.

Barry yelps, superspeeding his wayward limb back over to his side of the table before anyone knows what’s happening.

Batman clears his throat, turning his glare on the Flash.

“Sorry,” Barry says meekly. 

Batman just sighs. “I think that’s enough for today. Dismissed.”

And then he sweeps from the room. 

Superman gives both Hal and Barry a pointed look, “You know I have x-ray vision, right?” and then follows behind. 

Hal bursts into laughter as Barry hides his face behind his hands. 

He rounds the table and pulls Barry up out of his chair, “Come on,  _ snookums _ ,” he teases as they’re on their way out the door, mindful of the couple other league members still in the conference room. 

Barry’s still a bit red when Hal starts pulling him down the hallway. “Where are we going?” Barry pulls back a little.

“Well, if I heard correctly, we have quarters up here,” Hal reads off the signs on the doors, hoping they will yield directions of some kind. “I was just thinking, I’ve never had sex in space. I mean, I’m a Green Lantern, how is that possible?”

“You’re ridiculous,” Barry huffs a little laugh but immediately starts pulling Hal in the opposite direction. “And you clearly weren’t listening to Batman; our rooms are this way.”

Hal grins and tangles their fingers together. 

\----

Hal wakes with a pained gasp.

_ Fuck _ , that hurts. He presses a hand to his ribs and wrenches his eyes open. Where the fuck is he?

The blinding lights and scratchy sheets clue him in. He’s in the Medbay of the Watchtower.

Right, he vaguely remembers getting pummeled. Hal inspects his bandaged midsection. He’s pretty sure at least a couple are broken. 

Ugh. Looks like he’s gonna be here a while.

He sighs ( _ ow _ ) and tries to get comfortable. Turning painfully from side to side, he finally realizes he’s not alone. 

Hunched over in an uncomfortable chair, his mussed blond hair buried into the sheets by Hal’s hip, is Barry. 

Hal smiles softly. Barry hasn’t even bothered to change out of his uniform. The speedster must be exhausted. He gently cards his fingers through Barry’s hair.

Between one nanosecond and the next, Barry wakes up. His head jerks up and Hal’s hand is dislodged from his scalp. Barry latches onto it desperately. “Hal! You’re awake!”

“Unfortunately,” Hal winces at the gravel in his voice. 

Hal blinks and Barry’s holding a cup of cold water, complete with a green straw, up to his mouth. He’s never seen a more beautiful sight.

“How are you feeling?” he asks softly while Hal tries not to gulp it down.

“Like I got flattened by a semi-truck,” Hal admits once he’s done with the water.

Barry lets out a sound that would be a laugh if it wasn’t so teary. His hand shakes as he sets the cup down on a nearby table. “Well, that’s not too far off of what happened.” 

“Hey, I’m okay now that I can see your pretty face,” Hal snags Barry’s hand and pulls him back onto the bed. Well, Barry allows him to pull him onto the bed, as Hal’s strength is basically at zero right now.

Barry scoffs, “You could have died, Hal!” He clutches onto Hal’s hand like a lifeline. “I dug you out of the rubble as soon as I could, but- you were so pale and I thought-”

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Hal soothes. “I’m alright, just a little banged up. It’ll take a lot more than that to take me out.” 

Barry looks up at him with eyes that are red-rimmed but resolute. “I need to tell you something.”

“Um, alright? You can tell me anything.” 

He squares his shoulders like a man facing the gallows, “I’m in love with you.”

What? Hal’s eyes widen in shock. 

Barry doesn’t give him a chance to respond. “I know I’m totally messing this up. We never talked about what this was; I know we’re not dating and I’ve completely blindsided you. I just need you to know.”

Sure, Hal is a little blindsided. But now that he really thinks about it, he shouldn’t be. He and Barry have been sleeping together for months. Not once during that time did Hal ever even feel tempted to go on a date with anyone else. Really, Hal muses, he and Barry  _ have _ actually been going on dates this whole time, they just never labeled it. 

And shit, Barry deserves better than that. Hal was so afraid of screwing up their relationship, he kept his mouth shut and let it tangle itself up in knots.

Barry shifts awkwardly and makes to pull his hand from Hal’s grip.

Hal refuses to let go. “Barry,  _ baby _ , you haven’t fucked anything up. You’re right- we never talked about what our relationship actually was. So let’s fix that, right now.”

Barry swallows and opens his mouth to speak, but this time Hal steamrolls over him. “But first-” he tugs Barry in for a sweet kiss, “I’m in love with you, too.” 

Hal swallows Barry’s gasp, turning a sweet kiss into a hot and dirty one.

Until his ribs give a warning twinge, forcing him to pull back. He gives Barry a rueful smile. 

Barry retreats too, but he doesn’t go far. He slides from the edge of the bed back into his chair, and grabs back onto Hal’s hand. 

Hal pulls that hand up to his mouth and kisses it, “So what do you say, can I take you out on a date this weekend?”

Barry raises an eyebrow, “Hal, you can barely move.”

Hal winks, “So Netflix and chill it is?”

Barry’s startled laugh brightens up the whole room.

\----

Ollie waves wildly from the hightop table he’s somehow managed to secure. Damn, it is crowded in the bar. Why did he let Oliver pick the place again?

Hal squeezes himself past two busty brunettes and narrowly avoids the splash from someone’s spilled drink, all on his short trip to the table.

“Hal!” Oliver cheers, already a little tipsy, “Pull up a seat! Have a beer!” He slides a cold bottle across the table.

“Thanks, man,” Hal slips into the stool across from him. He takes a long pull. God, that hits the spot.

“No Barry tonight?”

“Nah, he’s at some forensics conference in Keystone.” Actually, Barry could be here in a flash (ha), but he begged off, telling Hal he refused to play wingman for a drunk Oliver Queen. 

“Thank god,” Ollie mutters under his breath.

“Hey!” Hal knows that Barry and Oliver really only tolerate each other for Hal’s sake, but he still expects Oliver to keep it civil even if Barry’s not even here.

Oliver rolls his eyes goodnaturedly, “Yeah, yeah, I know you think the sun shines out of his ass.”

“Come on, would it really be so bad if he were here?”

“Uh yeah, he’s a huge stick in the mud! Every time he comes out with us, you end up leaving early. He cockblocks you literally all the time.”

Hal chokes on his beer. Barry cockblocking him? There has been a  _ serious _ misunderstanding here.

“Wait, Ollie-” Hal’s phone rings, interrupting his attempt to explain the situation. He fumbles for it, yanking it out of his pocket, intending to hang up. He pauses, thumb hovering over the end call button, when he sees the caller ID. 

Well, this’ll work.

Hal smirks as he swipes to answer. 

“Hey gorgeous,” he drawls into his phone.

Across the table, Oliver’s eyebrows disappear into his hair. 

“Hi Hal,” he can practically feel Barry’s pleased flush through the phone. “So it turns out all my coworkers have already gone to bed,” Barry admits sheepishly.

Hal glances down at the time on his screen. 9:47. Jeez, those scientists are nerds. 

“You wanna come meet us?”

“Are you sure that’s okay? I don’t want to interrupt your ‘bro’ time,” Barry teases.

Hal glances up; Oliver is staring at him incredulously. 

“Oh no, you’re not interrupting anything- the more the merrier,” he purrs, deliberately seductive.

Barry laughs. “Oookay, I’ll see you soon, Casanova.”

As soon as Hal hangs up, Oliver’s mouth is running a mile a minute with questions.

“Who the fuck was that? What’s her name? How long have you been hiding her?” Oliver narrows his eyes. “Tell me you’re not back with Carol.”

“No!” Hal denies. “It is  _ definitely _ not Carol.”

Oliver crosses his arms, “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!”

Hal winces, “Well, I wasn’t hiding it; I didn’t realize you didn’t know!” 

“What does she look like?” he asks, mollified.

“Beautiful blue eyes, killer thighs, fantastic ass, the whole damn package,” Hal says honestly, suppressing a smile. “I’m in love.”

Oliver shakes his head in disbelief, “Wow, I have to admit, I’m shocked.”

“Why are we shocked?” Barry butts in, clasping Hal’s shoulder as he emerges from the crowd. Oliver groans, but Hal and Barry both ignore him.

Hal turns to smile brightly at him, “I managed to pull a hot blond.”

“That’s not the shocking part,” Oliver says to Barry, like he’s revealing some juicy secret, “Hal’s  _ in love _ with said hot blond.”

Barry laughs, “Is he now?” he teases. 

Hal wraps an arm around Barry’s waist, pulling him in to press up against his side.

Oliver frowns a little, glancing down at Hal’s fingers, hooked into one of Barry’s belt loops.

“He is,” Hal says emphatically. Barry smiles softly at him.

Hal sneaks a glance at Oliver. Realization is slowly dawning on his face. Hal can certainly speed that along.

“Now can I get a kiss hello from my boyfriend?” he hooks a finger in Barry’s collar and pulls him in for a short but heated kiss.

When Barry pulls back, mere moments before they devolve into something much more suited for a private seting, he’s a flushed and happy mess. Hal’s sure he looks about the same.

“What the  _ fuck _ ?” Oliver shrieks. 

\----

Hal flops back onto the pillows, trying to catch his breath. 

Even though they’re both sticky and sweaty, Barry shoves up under Hal’s arm and nuzzles into his chest.

Hal hums contentedly. 

Barry pats him on the chest, “You sure rocked my world, flyboy.”

Hal blinks. “Flyboy?”

“I was just trying it out!”

Hal can’t help it; he laughs. 

“Hey, I didn’t laugh at you for calling me  _ babydoll _ not ten minutes ago!”

“Yeah,” Hal capitulates, “but that was in the middle of sex.”

“Ugh!” Barry makes an offended sound.

“It just surprised me, that’s all!”

“See if I ever call you any pet names ever again!” Barry pouts and makes to pull away.

Hal doesn’t let him get away; he yanks him back down and rolls over right on top of him. “I’m sorry sweetheart; forgive me?”

Barry sighs, put upon, “Yeah, alright, buttmunch.” And dissolves into giggles.

Hal squawks. “What kind of a pet name is that?”

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I just want to say, I'm totally inspired by the whole Halbarry fandom and you're all amazing! I've been a long time lurker, and Halbarry week gave me the motivation to finish this, so i really hope you enjoyed it! If you like it, feel free to drop me a kudos or a review!
> 
> Also-please be gentle, this is baby's first Halbarry fic lol


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